README File
Census 2000 108th Congressional Districts - Hundred Percent
Delivered via FTP
CONTENTS
About the FTP Application
Other Sources of the Data
File Naming Convention
Technical Documentation
Data Records and Segmentation
File Record Layout
FTP File Transfer
UnZipping the Files
Spreadsheet and Data Base Aids
For step-by-step instructions for moving the data and the structure into a
data base format (including screen shots), please see
www.census.gov/support/SF1ASCII.html.
Structure files in Access2000 and other formats are available at
http://www.census.gov/support/2000/SF1/
We are unable to provide one-on-one support for applications of the data to specific
spreadsheets or data base software.
ABOUT THE FTP APPLICATION
The application is intended for experienced users of census data, compressed files,
and spreadsheet/database software.
FTP users should have a fast file transfer capability.
Users of the FTP application need to unzip the compressed file after downloading,
then import it into the spreadsheet/database software of their choice for data
analysis and table presentation.
OTHER SOURCES OF THE DATA
American FactFinder at factfinder.census.gov.
This system provides Internet access to all tables plus additional derived tables
called Quick Tables and Geographic Comparison Tables.
The system can create thematic maps on various data items.
The system can create reference maps defining the geographic area.
Tables are available on American FactFinder on the morning of public release.
DVD/CD-ROM
Data for the 108th Congressional Districts also will be available on DVD shortly
after the public release date.
The discs will contain easy-to-use software enabling users to download tabulations
from the files.
DVDs cost $70 a disc. We expect the 108th Congressional District data to fit on one
DVD. For ordering information, contact the Customer Services Center at 301-763-INFO
(4636) or send an email to webmaster@census.gov. Business hours are 8:30 AM - 4:30
PM EST, Monday through Friday.
FILE NAMING CONVENTIONS
The naming convention for geographic header files is ssgeo_h08.zip
ss is USPS state abbreviation
The codes are in technical documentation on page 7-1, located at
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf1.pdf
geo_h08.zip is a constant across CD108 geographic header names.
Naming convention for CD108 data files is ssiiiyy_h08.zip.
ss is USPS state abbreviation
iii is the characteristic iteration (total population, race
groups, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, and
Hispanic/Latino groups). These only apply to SF 2 and SF 4.
In CD108, the characteristic iteration will always be 000.
yy is the number of the file
Valid codes are 01 through 76. See below for distribution of
tables across files.
h08.zip is a constant across CD108 data file names
TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION
The complete technical documentation for CD108 is available at
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/cd108h.pdf .
DATA RECORDS AND SEGMENTATION
Table distribution across data files is as follows:
Figure 2-2. File/Table Segmentation
Starting Ending
Number of Matrix Matrix
File Name Data Items Number Number
stgeo.h08
st00001.h08 222 P1 P5
st00002.h08 238 P6 P18
st00003.h08 236 P19 P33
st00004.h08 149 P34 P45
st00005.h08 245 P12A P12E
st00006.h08 241 P12F P16I
st00007.h08 234 P17A P27C
st00008.h08 247 P27D P28E
st00009.h08 244 P28F P30H
st00010.h08 229 P30I P34I
st00011.h08 180 P35A P35I
st00012.h08 235 PCT1 PCT9
st00013.h08 45 PCT10 PCT11
st00014.h08 209 PCT12 PCT12
st00015.h08 196 PCT13 PCT17
st00016.h08 209 PCT12A PCT12A
st00017.h08 209 PCT12B PCT12B
st00018.h08 209 PCT12C PCT12C
st00019.h08 209 PCT12D PCT12D
st00020.h08 209 PCT12E PCT12E
st00021.h08 209 PCT12F PCT12F
st00022.h08 209 PCT12G PCT12G
st00023.h08 209 PCT12H PCT12H
st00024.h08 209 PCT12I PCT12I
st00025.h08 209 PCT12J PCT12J
st00026.h08 209 PCT12K PCT12K
st00027.h08 209 PCT12L PCT12L
st00028.h08 209 PCT12M PCT12M
st00029.h08 209 PCT12N PCT12N
st00030.h08 209 PCT12O PCT12O
st00031.h08 245 PCT13A PCT13E
st00032.h08 235 PCT13F PCT15C
st00033.h08 225 PCT15D PCT17B
st00034.h08 225 PCT17C PCT17E
st00035.h08 225 PCT17F PCT17H
st00036.h08 75 PCT17I PCT17I
st00037.h08 217 H1 H20
st00038.h08 207 H11A H15I
st00039.h08 171 H16A H16I
Five fields are carried over from the geographic header file into each data file.
These fields are file identification (FILEID), state abbreviation (STUSAB),
characteristic iteration (CHARITER), characteristic iteration file sequence number
(CIFSN) and logical record number (LOGRECNO).
These five fields appear in the geographic header file in a fixed field format.
These five fields appear in the four data files in a comma delimited format.
These fields are used to "match" records in the four data files to the geographic
information in the geoheader.
A file set structure schematic appears in the technical documentation which is located
at www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/cd108h.pdf
FILE RECORD LAYOUT
For a layout of the individual tables for each file, see the technical documentation
at ww.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/cd108h.pdf Select Chapter 6, Summary Table
Outlines.
FTP FILE TRANSFER
The 108th Congressional Districts (CD108) FTP directory is at
ftp2.census.gov/census_2000/datasets/108_Congressional_Districts.
Each state directory provides all files for the identified state.
The directory for each state has a geographic header file and 39 data files.
The chart on page 3 of this document lists the table numbers available in each of the
39 files.
Once uncompressed, the files are in a flat ASCII format.
No software is provided.
Downloading multiple files
UNIX environment-"mget" subcommand allows transfer of multiple files using the
wildcard character.
Example: ftp> prompt off
ftp>mget ne* (for this example, Nebraska is selected).
Windows Environment-many FTP products have been developed which have the capability
to download multiple files with a single command.
We used the ws_ftp product in testing the download.
A demonstration copy is available at http://www.ipswitch.com/
An Internet search using the term "download multiple files" yielded other similar
products.
For step-by-step instructions with screen shots, please see
http://www.census.gov/support/2000/SF1/.
UNZIPPING THE FILES
Files compress at approximately 95% compression.
Any standard UnZIP software package can be used.
In testing we used PKZIP for Windows. It's available at www.pkware.com.
Unzipped files are in flat ASCII format.
For step-by-step instructions with screen shots, please see
http://www.census.gov/support/2000/SF1/.
UNZIPPED FILES
Geographic header file has fixed fields.
File data dictionary is at www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/cd108h.pdf. See chapter 7
for the data dictionary.
Data files have comma delimited fields
Fields from the geographic header file carried over to the data files are comma
delimited in the data files .
SPREADSHEET AND DATA BASE AIDS
For step-by-step instructions with screen shots for moving the data and structure to
a spreadsheet, please see www.census.gov/support/SF1ASCII.html.
Structure files in Access97 and other formats are available at
http://www.census.gov/support/2000/SF1/.
We are unable to provide one-on-one support for applications of the data to specific
spreadsheets or data base software.